Folding bed



(No Model.)

E. G. MILLER.

FOLDING BED.

1 Io.489,48Q. Patented Jan. 10, 1893.-

Rs :0. FHOTO-LITHO,WASHINGTDN n c UNITED STATES PATENT OF Ic ELISHA G.MILLER,- OF OHIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,489, dated January10, 1893.

Application filed November 4, 1890. Serial No. 370.349. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELISHA G. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding beds, and consists inimprovements in the connection between the bed and its frame which willbe hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tomake and use the same, I will now proceed to describe my improvement,referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my ratchet hinge lock. Fig. 2, is anend sectional view showing the ratchet hinge attached to the side railof the main frame and casing. Fig. 3, is sectional plan view of aportion of the ratchet hinge lock showing beveled teeth. Fig. 4, is aside view of the same. Figs. 5, and 6 are fiews of another form of theratchet hinge ock.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

It has been found by experience in the use of folding beds, that theside rails which are hinged or pivoted to the casing are liable tospread and get out of proper position, so that the bed will not foldfreely, and the parts become displaced, and not be in good workingorder; there being no provision for holding the side rails in a positiverelative position and to prevent them from spreading. I overcome thisobjection by providing a hinge or pivot which act not only as a hinge orpivot for folding, but will also serve as a lock to hold the side railsin a positive position and prevent the side rails from spreading.

I will now proceed to describe my locking racks: On the inner wall ofthe casing, on a' line with the bed frame when down I secure a plate orrack E rigidly secured to the casing by bolts or otherwise. This plate Ipreferably make of the form shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings,whichconsists of a bar of metal or other suitable material, having formedupon its upper surface or cut out teeth e e which are wedged shape,having tapering sides and having corresponding wedge shaped openings 6'between; the wider ends of the openings be-' ing adjacent to the casing.The outer ends of the plate E are formed with raised projecting lips orears F for the purpose presently explained. On the side board of themain body of the bed, adjacent to where the plate E is secured, Irigidly secure a curved plate or rack bar G. which bar or plate isformed or cut out with teeth g similar to the teeth 6 in the plate E,the teeth in this plate being wedge shaped, similar to those in theplate E. The teeth of the plate G, when the bed is folded up or downwill mesh in the teeth of the plate E, as clearly seen in Fig. l of thedrawings. It will be seen that the wide ends of the teeth on the plateon the casing, on either side of the bed Will face toward the center ofthe bed, while the wide ends of the teeth on the plate on the side railof the bed will face outward, so that, the teeth meshing together willat any time prevent the parts from spreading, and the racks frombecoming disengaged by any lateral movement, and at the same time thefreedom of the folding or movement of the hinge or pivot is notinterfered with. I prefer to have the lips F, for if they were not therethe parts would be liable to become separated and out of gear, but withsaid lip or extensions, the ends of the plate G being preferably roundedwould be confined or checked or bear against the inner surface of saidlip, and be prevented from slipping out of place and getting out ofgear, and there will be no danger of the two plates becoming separated,but will be at all times in proper gear and in proper relative position.It is evident however, that the ears may be dispensed with in somecases, and the locking results attained.

It is evident that I need not confine myself to the construction ofwedge shape teeth as shown, as I may change the form of the plates asmay be desired, as my invention consists broadly in hinge which not onlyacts as a hinge or pivot, but also as a look.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown one form of modification, in which theplates are formed with T shaped lugs or projections which meshE ing thanon the outside, and the teeth of the racks on the bed frame beingconstructed to fit the spaces between the teeth of the casing racks,substantially as described.

2. In a folding bed the intermeshing racks attached respectively to thecasing and the bed frame the former racks having teeth tapered laterallytoward the casing and the latter having teeth tapered laterally towardthe bed frame, substantially as described.

ELISHA G. MILLER.

Witnesses:

THEo. PROULX, CHAS. E. GORTON.

